


The Stolen Element

by Electrons



Series: The Avatar and the Doctor [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen, Medical Procedures, Racism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:00:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27662384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Electrons/pseuds/Electrons
Summary: Zuko's cardiac complications from Azula's lightning strike have returned with a vengeance. The Tenth Doctor's fateful companion, Martha Jones, might have a solution, but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Relationships: Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Martha Jones/Thomas Milligan
Series: The Avatar and the Doctor [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1851358
Comments: 95
Kudos: 201





	1. Sokka and the Doctor Like to Open Doors Dramatically

**Author's Note:**

> I was originally going to work on and post this consecutively with the thirteenth Doctor's story, as it takes place before this in the GAang's timeline. However, I want it to be canon compliant with the next season, so I'm going to wait until that comes out.
> 
> Thanks to MuffinLance for the post that originally inspired this story!

The Doctor flung open the doors of the TARDIS with a dramatic flourish. "Doctor Jones!" He grinned at his friend as she hung up her phone and shook her head at him with a fond smile. "To what do I owe the summons?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Please send him to the planet of muzzles," she said. "His yapping has been driving me batty the last few days." She didn't mention that part of the reason he'd been talking even more than usual was because he was reminding himself that his stolen voice was his own again.

"If they muzzle me, they'd muzzle you too," the Doctor retorted.

"Oh, they can try," Donna said.

"As fun as all of…" Martha waved her hand in their direction. "That sounds, no. I need your help to find the perfect birthday gift for Tom. I've been away a lot for work, and I feel bad. I want to get him something amazing!"

Donna squealed. "Oh! That's so romantic! Of course we'll help."

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Who put you in charge? This is my TARDIS, and it isn't a taxi. Taking her on a shopping excursion is downright undignified."

"And what about you has ever been dignified," Donna demanded with her hands on her hips, wearing an unimpressed look.

"Not a thing," the Doctor said with a cheerful grin as he took a step back. "Hop aboard, Doctor Jones!"

Martha laughed as she joined her friends on the TARDIS. "Right then, so I was thinking, do you remember that planet with the psychic plants? I could get him a houseplant he'll never need to water! As long as he's happy, it will continue to grow."

"Uh-huh," the Doctor said as he input coordinates. "Then, when he's unhappy, his dead plant can cheer him up."

Donna slapped his shoulder. With an "Oof!" the Doctor fell forward onto a lever. The TARDIS started moving. "Oops, that isn't right."

They came to a stop a few moments later. "We're not on the planet of the psychic plants, are we," Martha asked.

"The odds of that are low," the Doctor said. "However, there's only one way to know for sure." The Doctor flung the doors open.

"So. Dramatic," Donna said, but she was smiling while she said it. She and Martha followed the Doctor out of the TARDIS.

"This definitely looks familiar," the Doctor said as he turned in a circle. They were in a long hallway decorated with red silk and golden wall sconces. "It's right here." He tapped his forehead. "We are…"

A soldier came running into the hall from around a corner. "Halt! In the name of the Firelord, I-"

"Fire Nation! Yes, Fire Nation, I was just about to say that. I got it all on my own with no help at all." The Doctor grinned.

Donna rolled her eyes. "Sure."

"The Fire Nation," Martha asked.

"I was here once with Rose and Jack. It's fine," he said, gesturing at the soldier holding out his hands in what looked like a martial arts pose. "I'm good friends with the Firelord."

"Good friends?" Donna put her hands on her hips. "A lot of your 'good friends' keep trying to kill you."

"That's true," the Doctor said. "However, Firelord Zuko did away with executing people. He's a very progressive leader."

"That's a low bar for progressive," Martha mumbled.

"How did you get in here," the guard demanded. "This wing is off limits to anyone not personally approved by the Firelord."

"And as I said, we're good friends. Just go tell him that the Doctor is here, the one with the blue box."

"Oi, a thought," Donna said. "How do you know your pal Firelord Zuko is still in charge? We don't know what year we landed in."

A loud voice rang down the hall. "I'm telling you! Someone is here, and they have TWO HEARTS! I know it doesn't make sense!"

The trio turned around to see a short girl with black hair dragging someone down the hall towards them. The Doctor waved at them. "Hi, Sokka! Hi, Sokka's short friend whose name I forgot."

Sokka looked at the TARDIS and then at the three strangers in front of it. "You regenerated again," he said.

"When was this," the Doctor asked with alarm.

Sokka shrugged. "The last time I saw you, when you were a woman-"

"Spoilers!" The Doctor waved his hands in a frantic motion, cutting off the answer to his own question.

"You were a what?!" Donna looked thrilled.

"I'm sure you were a lovely woman," Martha said with a smile.

"Will be a lovely woman," the Doctor corrected. "The last time I was here, I was a man. So that must be in my personal future."

Sokka shrugged. "You did say you'd been here a bunch of times before the last time you were here," he admitted. "Toph, this is the Doctor. Remember that time I disappeared with Suki, Zuko and Mai for three days?"

"Of course," Toph said. "Katara was going nuts. It was hilarious."

"Aang said you were pretty worried too."

"Aang is deluded." Toph crossed her arms over her chest. "So, you're the alien that took Aang on his special field trip?"

"I guess I will at some point," the Doctor said.

"You can travel in time, right?"

"Toph…" Sokka sounded sad all of a sudden. "Some things can't be changed."

"We can at least ask!"

"Ask what," Donna inquired.

Sokka sighed and shook his head. He looked at the perplexed guard. "It's fine," he said. "Zuko knows them."

"Uh… Very well." The guard departed.

"C'mon. I'll take you to see Zuko. He'll probably be happy to see you again, especially since he missed you last time. He might invite you to the wedding!"

"The wedding," Martha asked.

"Yeah, he and Mai are getting married."

"They're still a bit young for that," the Doctor said. "Unless more time has passed than I thought. Why the rush?"

"Zuko is dying," Toph said in an angry, bitter tone. "He's dying and everyone is just- just- GIVING UP!"

"Toph…" Sokka looked at her with a devastated expression. "Katara did everything she could."

"Why does KATARA always have to do everything?! Is she the only one of us capable of anything? Aang is the Avatar! I've mastered every discipline of earthbending, including one I INVENTED! You're the smartest person in the world, the guy who invented war balloons, submarines and a whole new kind of math!"

"It's just a theory right now. The mathematics department at the University of Ba Sing Se hasn't yet-"

"One of us should have been able to think of something!" She crossed her arms over her chest and twisted her face into an expression of grief and rage.

"Is it his heart," the Doctor asked in a somber whisper.

"Yeah," Sokka admitted. "At first, Katara was able to heal him. Then, he got worse again, but this time he told us instead of hiding it like an idiot. Katara healed him again, but… each time it got less effective. Now, her healing isn't doing anything at all. Chief Arnook even let us try some Spirit Water, but…"

"At least Katara tried," Toph mumbled. "At least she was able to help for a little while. The rest of us are useless."

"Toph…" Sokka shook his head. He gestured again for the Doctor and his friends to follow him. "I really do think he'll be happy to see you."

"Wait," Martha said. She turned around and ran into the TARDIS. She emerged moments later with a black bag. "I left a spare in my room. You never redecorated by the way."

"The TARDIS is sentimental," the Doctor said.

"Oh yes," Donna agreed. "It's all the TARDIS. You have nothing to do with it."

Martha adjusted her grip on her medical bag and smiled at Sokka. "Lead on."

Sokka gave her a perplexed look, but he led them down the hall. Toph crossed her arms over her chest and left indentations in the floor as she walked. They came to a door with several soldiers guarding it. The soldiers were weary of strangers, but they parted for Sokka.

The room had several windows, all open to let the sunlight in. In addition to the sunlight, several lit torches and fragrant candles illuminated the room. The room defied every stereotype about sickrooms being dark and quiet. Zuko was lying on the bed, looking pale and small. Aang sat on the bed, next to his knees, telling a story with animated hand gestures.

"Guys! Look who it is! The Doctor is here, and they regenerated again!" Sokka gestured to the Doctor with great enthusiasm.

Katara looked up from where she had been sitting on the floor and examining a scroll. There were bags under her eyes that spoke of sleep deprivation. She set her scroll in her lap and rubbed her eyes. "Huh?"

Aang looked up and grinned. "Hi, Doctor!"

Zuko started to sit up. Aang leaned over to help him. "What's happening?"

The Doctor flinched. "You look terrible."

Donna slapped his shoulder. "Quit being rude!"

Martha waved. "Hi, you must be Firelord Zuko."

"Yes," Zuko said. "How can I help you?"

"I'm Dr. Martha Jones," Martha explained. "I'm one of my planet's leading experts on astrobiology. Would it be okay with you if I examined you?" She held up her black bag.

"Don't worry," Donna said. "She's a real Doctor. She didn't just fancy the sound of it like this one." She pointed her thumb at the Doctor.

"Umm… Okay," Zuko said.

Martha pulled her stethoscope out of her bag and sat down on the bed next to Aang. She smiled at Zuko, a bright and disarming grin. She held up the stethoscope. "Is it okay if I listen to your heart?"

Zuko gave her a weary look. "What is that thing?"

"It's a stethoscope. It allows me to listen to the sound of someone's heartbeat. Would you like to listen to mine first?" She slid the drum under her shirt with practiced ease and offered him the eartips.

Zuko gave her a confused look. "What do I do with these?"

"Place them in your ears, and you'll be able to hear my heart," Martha explained.

Zuko did as instructed. His eyes widened. "Wow. She's right. I can hear her heart! This is kind of cool."

"Oh! Oh! Can I listen," Aang asked with great enthusiasm.

Zuko handed over the binaural. Aang started to put the eartips in his ears, but Martha stopped him so that she could sanitize them first. Once they were clean, Aang put the eartips in his ears. He grinned with delight. "This is amazing! Katara, listen!"

Katara approached the bedside. Martha sanitized the stethoscope again and offered it to Katara, the drum still pressed against her own heart. Katara listened. "Huh, so this is what an alien heart sounds like? Toph, come listen to this." She removed the stethoscope from her ears.

"It's what a human heart sounds like, at least," Martha agreed as she sanitized the eartips again before passing them to Toph.

Toph listened to Martha's heart. "It sounds like a normal heart," Toph said. "There's more detail though. The sound is much clearer than when I listen through the rock. There's less of an echo."

"Listen through the rock," Martha asked, intrigued.

"Toph can feel people's heartbeats with her earthbending," Sokka explained.

Martha looked fascinated, but she returned her attention to the task at hand. "So, Firelord Zuko, is it alright if I listen to your heart?"

The stereoscope no longer seemed like a strange piece of alien technology, and Zuko didn't seem weary of it anymore. He nodded his consent. Martha sanitized the entire device, paying particular attention to the drum and the eartips. She placed the eartips in her ears and the drum under Zuko's robe and shirt. She listened for abnormalities.

Martha listened for what felt like a long time to everyone in the room but the Doctor. Nothing felt like a long time to the Doctor anymore. Everything felt fast, like sand sifting through his fingers. Martha removed the drum from Zuko's chest and the eartips from her ears and began to sanitize again. She had a lot of alcohol swabs in her bag.

"It's an arrhythmia," she said.

"His heart isn't beating the way that it's supposed to," Katara agreed. She held up the scroll in her hand. "I keep healing the muscle, but it goes right back to beating the wrong way once I'm done, damaging itself all over again." She shook the scroll with frustration.

Zuko flinched. "Sorry," he said.

"It's not your fault!" Katara threw the scroll down. "I've studied every single one of Master Yagoda's healing scrolls. I can't find the answer. I'm not a good enough healer!"

"How old are you," Donna asked.

Katara frowned at Donna. "Why?"

"You seem really young to be practicing medicine, that's all," Donna said.

"I'm seventeen," Katara said in an affronted tone. "I'm a Master Waterbender."

"A what?" Donna looked at the Doctor, perplexed.

Martha interrupted the conversation. "I think you need a pacemaker," she explained to Zuko.

"What's that?" Zuko looked weary.

"A pacemaker is a small electrical device, implanted in the chest, that helps regulate your heart rate. Your arrhythmia is-"

"Martha, stop," the Doctor said.

Martha frowned and then turned her head to give the Doctor a confused look. "What?"

The Doctor shook his head. "This planet doesn't have technology like pacemakers, or even electricity."

Donna scoffed. "So? I've seen you whip up technological marvels that can power an entire city with nothing more than a teaspoon and a can of shaving cream."

"It was whipped cream," the Doctor corrected, making Donna roll her eyes.

"So then we'll take him back to Earth," Martha said at once. "We'll admit him at Royal Hope, and I'll do the surgery there."

"It's not that simple," the Doctor insisted.

"Why not," Toph asked. "I have no idea what she's talking about." Toph pointed at Martha. "But it sounds like she has an actual plan. Let's try it! Anything is better than giving up."

Zuko shook his head. "I can't go to an alien planet." He rubbed his head like it was hurting him. "I have too many responsibilities."

"Dying will really help with that," Toph said in a caustic tone.

Before anyone could respond, a pale young woman entered the room. Mai didn't spare a glance for the Doctor or his companions. She walked up to Zuko and sat on the side of his bed. Aang scrambled to get out of her way.

Mai took Zuko's hand. He squeezed her fingers in a weak grip. "Hi," he said.

Mai reached out and brushed some hair behind his ear. "I can't leave you alone for a second," she whispered. "You can get into trouble even lying in a sickbed."

He gave her his best attempt at a rueful smile. "How was the fitting? I can't wait to see your wedding dress."

"It's too red," she said, wrinkling her nose. "There's so many flowers, flames, flowers made of flame…"

Zuko chuckled. "You'll be beautiful. You always are."

She leaned forward and kissed his jaw on the line where his scar met the healthy tissue of his face. Healthy might not have been the right word. He was too pale, and the bags under his eyes were too dark. "So, what's going on this time?"

"The Doctor is back," Sokka answered, even though it could not have been more obvious that Mai wasn't talking to him. "His friend thinks she can cure Zuko! He'd have to take a trip to an alien planet though."

Mai nodded. "Okay, well, you're doing that then."

Her eyes were as hard as flint. Her spine was as straight as steel. Her expression dared anyone to argue with her. No one took that dare.

"I'll get the wheelchair from the TARDIS," Martha said.

"I'll help," Sokka offered.

The two of them left the room, and Katara stood up with a frown. "If you're going to be doing some strange alien procedure on my patient, then I am coming to supervise. This isn't a game. Medicine is serious business, and you can't just play around with it, or you can do irreparable damage."

The Doctor looked affronted. "Since when do I play around with anything?"

Donna guffawed, and the Doctor glared at her, which only made her laugh harder.

"I went to the past with you, remember?" Katara crossed her arms over her chest and gave the Doctor a very familiar look.

"I don't remember, since it hasn't happened yet for me," the Doctor said. "However, I have no doubt that you did. You're more than welcome to join us."

Katara gave the Doctor a stern nod. "Good."

"I'm coming too," Toph said. "I am not getting left behind on another field trip."

Zuko locked eyes with Mai. "If I'm really going, then you're in charge of the Fire Nation until I get back, or at least until Suki and Ty Lee return with my uncle. If I don't come back-"

"You're coming back," Mai said. It sounded less like reassurance and more like a command. "You are not dying. You're coming back. I'll keep the country functioning until you do."

Zuko smiled at her. "I love you."

She leaned forward and kissed him again. Their lips met, and the room's other occupants turned away to give them privacy. "I love you too."

"Don't worry, Zuko," Aang said. "I'll stay with her. If someone wants to cause trouble while you're away, they'll have to go through the Avatar. I'll protect Mai."

Mai rolled her eyes. "I don't need protection."

Zuko chuckled, but it was a weak sound. "You don't, but I'm glad you have it."

Mai looked at the Doctor. "You had better look after him. I'm trusting you. Do not betray my trust."

"I would never," the Doctor said in a solemn tone.

Martha returned. Sokka was behind her, pushing a wheelchair. "This stuff is so weird. It's like it isn't made of any element." Sokka knocked his knuckles against the chair's plastic armrest.

Mai offered Zuko a hand. She pulled him to his feet, but he swayed, unsteady. Katara rushed forward to support his other side. The two teenagers helped their friend into the wheelchair. Zuko squeezed his eyes shut. "I feel dizzy."

"I'm sorry," Katara whispered.

"It isn't your fault," Zuko insisted.

"You'll be okay, Zuko," Aang insisted. "I know you will. We can trust the Doctor. They've never let us down before."

"What about that time when-" Sokka began to say.

"Spoilers," the Doctor insisted. "Anyway, it's not me you need to trust. Dr. Jones here is the medical professional, and she is the best in the business. It's her you're counting on, and she won't let you down. She's never let me down."

Martha looked touched. "Thank you, Doctor," she whispered.

"Right then," Donna said. "Who's excited to see Earth?"

"I am!" Sokka looked giddy. "I've never been to an alien planet before. I wonder what they eat. I wonder what they wear. I wonder-"

"Well, you won't need to wonder much longer," the Doctor assured him. "Everyone to the TARDIS."

Mai whispered a last goodbye to Zuko and kissed his cheek. Aang hugged Katara tight. After the farewells were completed, seven people went to the TARDIS. Zuko's drawn face lit up when they entered. "She's as beautiful as I remember. I can still feel the warmth of her heart."

"I can't feel anything," Toph said, sounding horrified. She grabbed Sokka's arm in a tight grip. He gave her a fond smile and slipped into the role of guide with practiced ease.

"Next stop," Donna said. "Earth."

"Hey! That's my line." The Doctor pouted.

"You snooze, you lose," Donna said. She clapped her hands. "Chop, chop, alien boy."

The Doctor chuckled and then went to the controls. He fiddled around with a few. The TARDIS began to move, making that comforting whirring sound. Within moments, they came to a stop. The Doctor looked over his shoulder and grinned.

"Sokka, do you want to do the honors?"

"Do I?!" Sokka ran to the doors and threw them open.


	2. Uncle Tom Yells at the Son of God

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group meets Martha's fiance. Their reaction to him is... inconsistent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to be up at three AM for work tomorrow and should be asleep, but instead I finished this chapter. What can I say? I love my doctors.

Sokka stepped out of the TARDIS and gaped at his surroundings. "Woah! Look at this place! It's as big as Ba Sing Se!" He rushed to the edge of the roof the Doctor had landed on (not at all because the Doctor was a dramatic show off) to get a better view.

"Be careful!" Katara snatched Sokka's arm and yanked him back. "You'll fall to your death!"

Toph reached down and touched the cement roof. "This earth feels weird." Toph pulled a chunk of cement out of the roof.

"Bloody hell!" Donna gaped at Toph. "How did you do that?!"

"She's an Earthbender," Sokka explained as he slipped out of Katara's grip to get closer to the edge. "What's that?!" He pointed at a huge ferris wheel in the distance.

"That's the London eye," Donna explained.

"That's something's _ eye _ ?!" Sokka's jaw dropped as he gaped at the metal contraption that rose a hundred thirty-five meters into the air.

"No," Martha explained. "It's just called that. It's an attraction. You can get inside and go to the top. It's a lovely view. Tom and I went there on a date once."

"Cool," Sokka said. "Can we go inside?!"

"Sokka, focus," Katara reprimanded him. She glanced at the wheelchair Martha was pushing. Zuko was shivering from the strong winds on the tall roof. Katara glared at the Doctor. "Why did you land up here?"

"It's pretty," the Doctor said. "Besides, this is where Martha's flat is. She can grab her credentials, and then we'll be off to the hospital."

"Right, let's do that," Martha said. "I think the lift is over there." She pointed to what looked like a small shack. "I'm never up here."

"What's that!" Sokka pointed at a large opulent building in the distance.

"That's Buckingham palace," Donna said. "That's where the Queen lives."

"Good old Lilibet," the Doctor said with a fond smile. "She sure is a crack shot."

The seven of them made their way to the lift and all managed to squeeze inside. They went down to Martha's floor. She unlocked the front door and ushered them all inside. "Remind us why you couldn't just land inside the flat like you did last time," Donna teased.

"I wanted the kids to have a spectacular first glimpse of Earth. No offense Martha, but your interior decorating isn't as stunning as the London skyline."

Martha chuckled as she headed towards her bedroom to collect her credentials. Before she could put her hand on the doorknob, it turned on its own, and the door opened. Martha yelped and leapt backwards. Tom stood at the threshold of the bedroom. "Tom!"

"Martha?" He blinked at her in surprise. "What- Who are all of these people?"

Martha looked over her shoulder at her six difficult to explain companions. "Uh… I thought you were at work!" She bit her lip. That wasn't much of an explanation.

Tom frowned. "I was. There was a cancelation, so I left early. I sent you a text."

Martha dug her phone out of her pocket and read the aforementioned text. "So you did," she conceded. "I'm sorry, Love. I was… Well, we were…" She gestured at her friends.

Tom raised a confused eyebrow. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes! Yes, of course. It's just…" She grabbed Donna's hand and pulled her forward. "You remember my friend, Donna?"

"I don't think we've met." Tom extended his hand. "It's good to meet you. I'm Tom."

Donna's eyes lit up as she took his hand and gave it a vigorous shake. "Martha, you weren't just talking. He is fit! Oh, I approve. Well done, Martha."

Tom blushed as he reclaimed his hand. "Uh… Thank you?"

"Donna is going to be one of my bridesmaids," Martha said, because why not?

"I am? I am! Yes! I'm so excited!" Donna hugged Martha tight with what felt like genuine excitement.

Martha hugged her back. "She came back to London to help me pick out the bridesmaid dresses."

"I see," Tom said. "And…" He gestured to the remaining five people whose presence still had no explanation.

"Well-"

The amount of time Toph could go without speaking had expired. Toph, holding tight to Sokka on Martha's carpeted floor, took a big step forward. "I'm Toph Beifong," she said, emphasizing her last name the way all children of important rich people learned to do from a young age. "You are honored to make my acquaintance."

Tom seemed startled to be talked down to by a very short teenager. "Uh…"

"Toph's my cousin," Martha blurted out. Donna glanced between Toph's pale East Asian features and Martha's dark complexion. Donna raised an eyebrow, but Martha forged ahead. "Did I ever tell you about my mom's sister that lives in China?"

"Not that I recall," Tom said. "I feel like I would recall."

"I'm Sokka," Sokka said. "Toph's stepbrother. This is my sister, Katara and our stepbrother, Zuko." He grinned at Tom with a wide, toothy grin. "It's nice to meet you, Uncle Tom!"

The Doctor pushed his way forward. "And I'm the Doctor." He stuck out his hand.

Tom took it on instinct. "Doctor who?"

"No, just the Doctor," the Doctor said as he shook Tom's hand with too much force. "I thought you would be taller."

"We're the same height," Tom said with an annoyed expression. He shook the Doctor's hand off.

"Are we?"

"Anyway!" Martha interrupted the exchange, shooting the Doctor a caustic look. "My cousin Zuko is in town for surgery. We're going to take him to the hospital."

Tom looked at the wan, thin, almost waifish figure sitting in the wheelchair and raised an eyebrow. "Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine," the Doctor said with a dismissive wave of his hand that made Katara's features squeeze together in an annoyed expression. "He's got two of the best doctors in the world looking out for him."

"Well, I'm a pediatrician," Tom said. He gave Zuko an appraising look. "You must be exhausted if you just got off a flight from China."

Zuko shook his head. "I'm fine," he whispered. He didn't look or sound fine by any stretch of the imagination.

"What's your condition, if you don't mind me asking," Tom asked. "There's some pretty great hospitals in China. Why did you need to fly all the way to the United Kingdom?"

"We would love to answer all of these nosy questions," the Doctor said. "Alas, we are in a hurry. So we have to be going! It was nice to meet you, Tod."

"Tom." Tom glared at the Doctor.

"That's what I said," the Doctor protested.

"Martha, can I talk to you for a second," Tom asked.

"Uh… Sure." She smiled at her friends. "I'll be right back." She followed Tom into the bedroom and closed the door behind them.

Donna smacked the Doctor on the shoulder. "Ow! Why are you hitting me?!"

"Quit it."

"Quit what?"

"She's happy," Donna lectured him. "Just let her be happy. What's the matter with you?"

"I don't like him."

"You  _ just  _ met him," Donna said, exasperated.

"I'm an excellent judge of character."

"Your childhood best friend is a genocidal maniac," Katara reminded him.

"That is not relevant to this conversation, and stop using knowledge my future self gave you. That's cheating."

"You do it all the time," Donna said.

"It's okay, when  _ I  _ do it." The Doctor frowned, seeming to sense that all possibility of him winning the conversation was gone, if it had ever existed at all. "Anyway, we don't have time to deal with inconvenient fiances. We need to get to Royal Hope."

"You could have landed the TARDIS in the hospital," Sokka pointed out. "You're the one that decided we needed to come here first."

"Well I didn't know Tod-"

"Tom," Donna corrected.

"Oh, not you too," the Doctor complained. "I didn't know he was going to be here! Why is he here?"

"He lives here," Donna said in a dry, unamused tone.

"Well, what's he got to do that for? I swear, you humans and your weird fixations on living places. It's so limiting." The Doctor shook his head.

Martha and Tom's bedroom door opened. Martha wore a bright, only slightly forced, smile. "Great news! Tom has volunteered to help Donna show Sokka and Toph around the city!"

"What's that," Toph asked. "I thought we were going to the hospital."

"A hospital isn't a fun place for a kid to-"

Toph cut Tom off with an outraged shriek. "I'm fifteen!"

"Anyway," Martha said. "The Doctor and I are going to take Katara and Zuko to Royal Hope in the TA- transportation. Tom is going to take the rest of you to… wherever you want to go."

Donna turned to Sokka. "You did say you wanted to go up the London Eye."

"I did say that," Sokka admitted. "I don't know." He looked at Katara and Zuko. "I don't feel good about abandoning you."

"You're not abandoning us," Zuko mumbled. "It's fine. You wanted to see an…" He remembered that they were pretending not to be aliens. "A foreign city."

"I still think we should go with you," Toph said.

"It's fine," The Doctor said. "Martha is the best in the business. I'll protect Katara and Zuko. I've never let anything happen to them before."

"Weeeell," Sokka said. "At one of the Air Temples, Katara-"

"Spoilers," the Doctor interrupted. "This is a good plan. I love this plan that doesn't involve me having to spend anymore time around Tod."

Tom gave the Doctor a wilting look. Martha gave him a much harsher look. It was a look that might give a dalek pause. The Doctor, brave soul that he was, pretended not to see it.

"It'll be fun," Donna said. "You'll love London."

"The fun isn't really the issue," Toph complained.

"We'll be fine, Toph," Zuko promised.

"We will," Katara said in a firm voice. It was the voice she used when she was letting an ambassador know that something was going to happen exactly the way she wanted it to, regardless of his opinion on the matter.

"Okay…" Toph nodded. "Alright."

"I'll call Donna whenever there's an update," Martha promised.

"You better." Toph stuck a finger in Martha's general direction, but the angle was a bit off. On the carpeted floor, all Toph had to figure out Martha's position was the sound of her voice.

"So that's decided," Martha said. She kissed Tom's cheek. "Thanks, Sweetheart."

Tom turned his head to kiss Martha on the lips while the Doctor pulled a face. "Anything for you, Love. It'll be nice to get to know your family, your distant family that you've never mentioned before."

Martha looked a tad abashed at the light admonishment. Tom squeezed her hand and went to grab his oyster card. Donna gave the Doctor a significant look that meant he had better behave while she was away. The Doctor responded with a look of shocked innocence, so she knew behaving was out of the question.

Sokka hugged Katara and begged her to be careful. Toph squeezed Zuko's hand. The fact that she wasn't punching him indicated just how dire the situation was. "Look after our idiot," Toph told Katara.

"I promise," Katara said. "Look after  _ my  _ idiot."

Sokka protested while Toph laughed and agreed. Even Zuko smiled. It was a weak smile, but it was there.

With the good-byes said, Tom led Donna, Sokka and Toph out of the flat. "So, where to first," he asked as they got into the lift. He frowned at Toph. "You forgot your shoes."

"Lunch," Donna said at once. "You two are going to experience proper English fish and chips."

"Oh, that sounds fun," Tom said. He was still frowning at Toph's dirty feet.

"I'm glad you think so," Donna said. "I didn't bring any payment with me, so lunch is on you."

Tom gave Donna an annoyed look. "Of course," he agreed in an unenthusiastic tone.

Donna chuckled. "I'm starting to pick up bad habits from the Doctor. Oh well. You kids are going to love fish and chips."

Tom led them to the nearby Underground entrance. Toph was delighted as they made their way beneath the street. "This is great work! The badgermoles themselves couldn't have done a better job!" She patted the walls with fond approval.

Sokka stared at the ticket machines and metal barriers with curiosity and delight. "Cool! What is this place? What's it for?"

Tom gave Sokka a confused look. "It's the tube. You must have seen one before. There are plenty of trains in China."

"Right, right, right," Sokka said with a dismissive flap of his hand. He turned to Donna and lowered his voice to a whisper. "What's the tube?"

Donna chuckled. "You're about to find out."

A train pulled into the station, and Toph rushed forward, undeterred by the barrier. She brushed her fingers against the metal. "I can totally bend this," she proclaimed.

"I believe you," Donna said. "All the same, best not." She scanned her oyster card. "Everyone through the barrier!" Donna led them through the luggage gate, flashing an apologetic smile at the Underground worker as she ushered the children inside.

Tom led them to the right platform, and a minute later their train pulled in. Sokka jumped at the sight and sound of the metal monstrosity. "What's that?!" Tom stared at Sokka, a look of confused annoyance on his face. Sokka's jaw dropped. Tom waved him, Toph and Donna through the doors as they opened.

Sokka squeaked with delight as they entered the train car. He turned in circles as he took in everything. Donna managed to coax him into a seat just as the doors shut. Sokka squeaked again. "We're moving!"

Toph put her hand on the floor of the train. "There's all these metal moving parts. Lots of stuff is spinning."

"How?! There's no animal attached to it. Is this earthbending?"

"No way," Toph said. "The metal feels hot. It's like there's lightning trapped-"

"This thing is full of lightning! We're gonna get roasted!"

Tom jumped in his seat. "Jesus! Don't say that! You're going to get us kicked off the train!"

"Sorry," Sokka said, embarrassed.

"Hey, Uncle Tom," Toph said.

"Um… Could you not call me that?"

"But I thought we were family," Toph teased him in a whining voice.

"How about Cousin Tom," Tom suggested.

"Nah, you're way too old to be a cousin," Toph said. "You're like fifty years old or something, right?" She wore a huge grin, and both Donna and Sokka stifled giggles.

"I'm twenty-eight," Tom said, sounding annoyed.

"Oh, sorry," Toph said in the tone of someone that was in no way sorry.

"What was your question," Tom asked.

"What's a Jesus?"

Tom frowned. "He's uh… He's a religious figure. In Christianity he is considered to be the son of God."

"So then why were you yelling at him," Toph asked.

"You never yell at the spirits," Sokka asked her with a chuckle.

"Nope. If you do, maybe that explains your atrocious luck," Toph mocked him.

Sokka groaned. "You sound like Aunt Wu."

"A wise woman," Toph said in a faux somber tone.

"How can you say that?!"

"Oh look, this is our stop," Tom said in a loud voice. "Thank God," he muttered in a much quieter one.

"Yes!" Donna punched the air and rushed out of the train car as soon as the doors opened. She grabbed Toph's hand and then Sokka's as well in a way that made it clear she'd been taking lessons on dramatic hand holding from the Doctor. "Fish and chips!"

"Fish and chips!" Toph and Sokka both echoed her with great excitement. They had no idea what she was going on about, but they were infected by her excitement. The three rushed up the escalator and then into the nearby chippie.

"Woo hoo," Tom grumbled. He made sure he had his wallet on him.

Sokka's jaw dropped again as they entered the chippie. "It smells  _ amazing _ in here!" He took a deep inhalation through his nose.

The young woman behind the counter giggled. "Thank you," she said. She was about Sokka's age, and she grinned at him. "I like your outfit. It's so exotic."

Sokka looked down at his robe. "Oh! Thanks! Hey, what kind of meats do you have?"

"Well, we have fried fish, sausages, scotch eggs and chicken on the menu." She grinned at Sokka.

"We'll take all of that," Toph declared, giddy.

"And chips!" Donna pushed her way forward to interject before the kids made a terrible mistake. "We can't  eat at a chippie and not get chips!"

The women behind the counter put on a serious expression and nodded. "Absolutely. How big a bag do you want?"

"How big is the biggest bag? Actually, don't worry about answering that. We'll take it," Donna said.

The woman began to ring them up. "Anything else?"

"I'll have some curry sauce," Donna said. "Oh! And some gravy. We'll just have one of each sauce," she decided.

"Why not just buy the whole shop," Tom groused.

"And we should get something healthy as well, I suppose," Donna said as if she hadn't even heard Tom. "Do you have any veg?"

"Mashed peas, battered mushrooms and pickled onions," the woman answered.

"We'll take all that too," Toph said.

"Will that be cash or card," the woman asked.

Tom pulled out his card and handed it to the woman without a word. The woman spared Tom just enough of a glance to take the card before returning her gaze to Sokka and giggling. She processed the transaction and then held out the card to Tom without looking at him. She gave Sokka a shy smile.

"So, where are you from," the woman asked Sokka.

"Southern Water Tribe," Sokka answered without thinking.

Toph stepped on Sokka's foot, hard. "That's in Cheena," Toph spoke up.

"China," Donna said.

"Yeah, there," Toph agreed.

"Yes," Sokka said, shaking his wounded foot. "We're Chinian-"

"Chinese," Donna corrected with a chuckle. She'd all but given up on actually being inconspicuous. She was having a great time.

"Chinese," Sokka agreed. "That is what we are."

"You're kinda dark to be Chinese," the woman said. "No offense. I would have guessed like Vietnam or something. Are you all the way Chinese?"

"Uh…" Sokka glanced at Donna with the helpless expression of someone that had not only never been to China, but had found out about its existence less than an hour ago.

"Oi! That's a bit insensitive, don't you think?" Donna folded her arms over her chest.

The woman blushed and turned around to do something behind the counter. Tom rolled his eyes at Donna as he claimed a table for them near a window. "That was dramatic," Tom told Donna.

"What do you mean," Donna asked. She stole two extra bottles of vinegar from nearby tables.

"She was just asking a question. Martha never does stuff like that, make a big deal about race in public." Tom pulled out his phone and began to look through emails.

Donna gave him a weird look. She opened her mouth to say something and then closed it. She turned to Sokka and Toph. "Alright, after this, we're going to the London Eye. What do you want to do next?"

Sokka sat down at the table and picked up a roll of silverware. "I want to know what this stuff is." He pulled out a fork. "Is this a weapon?"

Donna laughed. "It's a fork. You don't eat with forks?"

"Chopsticks," Sokka answered. "Does the food not fall out of these little gaps?" Sokka pointed out the spaces between the prongs.

"Forks aren't really for scooping. You stab the food with them." Donna picked up her own fork and mimed a stabbing motion.

Toph cackled with delight. "You  _ stab _ your food before you eat it?! I love it! That's so unnecessarily violent!" She rubbed her hands together with giddy anticipation.

"This planet is weird," Sokka declared.

Tom's eyes snapped up from his phone. "What did you say?"

"He said your country is super weird, Uncle Tom," Toph said. She stuck her tongue out in his general direction. "I want to do something fun. Views from high up don't really do it for me."

"Hmm…" Donna considered that. "What about a concert?"

"Have you ever considered getting a cane," Tom asked. "That could help you a lot with mobility."

Toph did not deign to respond to Tom. "What kind of concert," she asked Donna.

"Well, we're in London. I'm sure there's some sort of musical event going on somewhere. Tom, look something up on your phone."

Tom gave Donna an annoyed look. He started typing onto his phone as a waiter arrived with a laden tray. Sokka gave the food an intrigued examination. The waiter set the food down along with four waters.

"Smells… interesting," Toph said.

"Looks about the same," Sokka agreed. He picked up a scotch egg. "Here goes nothing!" He bit into it, and then his eyes lit up. "Hey! Good!"

Donna chuckled. "I'm glad you like it."

Toph picked up her fork and slammed it into a fried piece of fish. "Ha! Now I see why you and Zuko like swords so much. Stabbing things is fun!"

Several people turned to look at them. Tom sighed and began to rub his sinus canals. "Jesus," he muttered.

Sokka shoved the rest of the scotch egg into his mouth. "You sure do talk to the son of your God a lot," he said with a mouthful of sausage and egg.

Donna dipped a chip into her curry sauce. "This place is great. Thanks for suggesting it, Tom."

Tom frowned at her. "You're welcome." If he was aiming to sound gracious, he missed the mark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All reviews are appreciated, positive, critical or other. Thanks for reading!!

**Author's Note:**

> You can go to  
> https://electronswrites.tumblr.com/  
> for more info on all fics.


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